‘Last resort’ – Jamie Carragher slapped with bankruptcy petition from HMRC

HMRC has petitioned to have Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher declared bankrupt over an unpaid tax bill.

Court documents reveal that solicitors representing HMRC filed the petition at the High Court in London on Wednesday.

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Addressing the news, a spokesperson for Carragher told the Daily Mail: “This is a private tax matter that should have been resolved sooner, and the appropriate steps are being taken today to settle it.

“It is understood that the matter will not proceed any further and will be resolved imminently.”

HMRC’s ‘last resort’

Having spent his entire career with local club Liverpool, Carragher is best-known nowadays as one of Sky Sports’ foremost pundits.

The former England international, 48, also regularly features alongside Sky Sports colleague Gary Neville on the Stick to Football podcast, part of Neville’s media brand, The Overlap.

While HMRC said it doesn’t comment on individual tax cases, a spokesperson for the UK government department explained: “We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and do everything we can to help those who engage with us to get out of debt, such as offering instalment plans.

“We only petition for bankruptcy as a last resort.”

The basis of the claim and the amount of money involved has not been disclosed.

A one-club man

Born in Bootle, Merseyside, Carragher grew up supporting Everton but came through the youth ranks at Liverpool.

He went on to play 737 games for the Reds between his debut in 1997 and retiring in 2013.

As such, he ranks second on the club’s all-time appearances list behind Ian Callaghan.

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A defender for most of his career, Carragher scored four goals for Liverpool.

Despite rarely finding the net, he very nearly made it five in extraordinary fashion during his farewell appearance, hitting the post from 30 yards.

Carragher won seven major trophies during his time at Anfield, including a cup treble in 2000/01 and the 2004/05 Champions League – when he starred in the famous ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ final against AC Milan.

He was also named in the 2005/06 PFA Premier League Team of the Year.

At international level, Carragher earned 38 caps for England, being handed his debut by Kevin Keegan in 1999.

He later featured at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups under Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello respectively.

Carragher’s life after playing

After hanging up his boots at the end of the 2012/13 season, Carragher turned to punditry.

Joining Neville on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football coverage, he quickly earned plaudits for his astute analysis.

Carragher has also provided analysis for Danish and American broadcasters, working with the likes of Thierry Henry and Micah Richards on CBS Sports’ coverage of the Champions League.

Earlier this year, Carragher took up a new role as an adviser at Merseyside non-League club Marine, based in Crosby where he lives.